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yellow, obliquely ovate, membranous bracts, the base of each with numerous orange to
yellowish-orange, glan-dular trichomes, and frequently infolded on one side, enclosing a
light brown sub-globular glandular achene.

Organoleptic properties:

Odour: strong, characteristically aromatic, becoming valerian -like on ageing; taste:
aromatic, bitter.

General identity tests:
Carry out macroscopic and microscopic examinations and thin-layer chromatography.

Major chemical constituents:

1. The major constituents are resins which contain bitter substances (15-25%).

The resins are differentiated into:

a- Hard resin: which is petroleum-ether insoluble.

The hard resin contains a hydrophilic fraction, δ-resin, and a lipophilic fraction, γ-resin.

b- Soft resins: The major chemical constituents of the soft resins are humulone and
lupulone and their related derivatives, 2-10% and 2-6%, respectively.

The lipophilic soft resins contain mainly α-acids (e.g. α-humulene (2,6,9-humulatriene)
and related humulones) and β-acids (lupulones).

2. The essential oil: (0.3-1.0%) contains mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes
such as β-caryophyllene, farnesene, humulene and β-myrcene.

3. Other constituents include:the chalcone xanthohumol,prenyl-flavonoids and other
flavonoids (e.g. kaempferol, rutin) and tannins.

Medicinal uses:

Uses described in pharmacopoeias and well established documents:

As a sedative for the treatment of nervous tension and insomnia. 2- Treat¬ment of
dyspepsia and lack of appetite.

Uses described in traditional medicine:

It was used in the treatment of abdominal cramps, anaemia, bacterial infections,
dermatitis, diarrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, migraine and oedema. It was also used as an
analgesic, anthelminthic, antipyretic, aphrodisiac, carminative, digestant, diuretic,
diaphoretic and tonic.

Adverse reactions:

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